The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-18
TaE air gsAEES FAIL.
4 ,. 4 o. TRAIN CRASHES INTO
A SIGNAL TOWER.
The Widest Confusion Ensues En-.
gineer Killed and Several
Passengers Injured.

Baltimore and Ohio "Y." who yer,
mp and on the streets at Q 80 o'clocl
this morning, witnessed q singular ant
startling scene. IL was no less a spec
tacle than that Of train OF cars leap
Ing from the track and rushing with
the speed Of lightning and the crash
OF a thunderbolt through a brick
houfe. In an instant the train and
the house were in a heap OF ruins, and
the track for some distance was Uttered
With debris. The train to which the
accident occurred was train No. 4 Of
the 81. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati
express coming from the West.
About $3.50 o'clock It came laundering
into the city over the Metropolitan
branch, ard at the curve. nearly q
mile away from the "Y," began
whistling down brakes" For some
reason the brakes were no. put down.
TIE air bnkss, II was stated, did rot
work, and the engineer began bio n ny
his distress whistle for tbs brakemen
to put On the regular brakes. Either
she brakeman did not heed the signal
or 1t was MT given in time 10 be OF
use, for tho train, Il ying at q frlghlful
rate, came Numbering on toward the
shsrp.2curve at the "Y." On the
south side Of the "Y," 10 the little
corner made by the int rsection of the
tracks, was located the rail.
road signal tower, brick
structure three stoTies high, where
railroad men are employed 10 regulate
the signals and switches at the "Y."
When the train turned the sharp
curve OF the "Y," with fearful velocity
the cars behind the engine Asw the
track and smashed into The signal
tower, and In an Instant there was A
wreck which, Tor confusion, has sell.
dom been equaled In IA Tread snpaIs.
The engine was dragged from the
track, and ploughing tDrough the dirt
and mud dis,anc. OF 100 feet, rolled
comp e,ely over. Near tie engine lay
Hamilton Brosius, the engineer,
crushed and dying, and his fireman
with several bones broken. But be-
hind the engine was q scene OF panic
and confusion. 0ns car was crushed
and n afly buried under the tracks
and umbers OF the demolished buIld.
ing. Two sleeping coaches and one
passe-ser coach remained on the
track. The mail Car, the express car
and the baaRage car were rolled over
and the sides werv crushed. The
roof oil one car protrudsd from the
ruins OF the building. The disaster.
oil course, ut once created intense er.
element. A he alarm was sounded.
which quickly brought tas Gre depart.
ment aud the police 10 the tcepe.
Ambulauces were hurriedly sent for.
and q corps Of physicians came. sum.
moned from every d rection. Flremrn.
policemen. railroad men aud the cih.
fens went 10 work with c1ats of 10
clear out the debris. Many injured
pasaengers we're removed, snd taken
10 neignborlng houses, or drugstoree.
or To hospitals. In this way eighteen
OF twenty people were got ont Of the
wreck, some oil them only slightly In
jared, Others with bones broken and
cut In tho signal tower, on the M.
per Her, or observatory, William
Baxter, q railroad signal man. was Al
work. He realiz,d his impending
danger In tins, aud lespsd from the |
tower TO the ground. lie Dr. ke his
arm In the fall, aud was badly us.d
no, but seems TO have escaped more
serious Injury.
rnR INJURED.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Benson. An
elderly couple from Winchester. Id.
we've badly bruised. There were three
nilsay mail service clerks, Me,srs
q. ii. Ho.ton, l. u. Morrrll and ]. n
browo, IN tie postal car at the time of
the accident, and although the car was
nearly demolished the man ssrsped
with some lad bruises and scraieh,s
heo'oh and Moirell live In Blinore.
hp. Augusta Barnes. q lady on her
way TO her home In Germany, had her
head bsdy cut. She hal consid, Tahle
monty d her tickets 10 Nes York
and a. Tmsny. she vAs removed 10
Providence Hospital.
Willialn Buck, German, iity.four
yesss oi ssv, ~as seii usly and Der.
haps fatally inj1rsd. He, with mis-
vile. was on he way from Cincinnati
To 6crmuny. He received severe cuts
on the bead, h.s arm was haily
wrenchei aud he vas also internally
Injured. He Vas removed 10 Proyi.
dence Hospital by the police. His
VIII WIS uIibjuIeo.
When the men began 10 clear svav
the wreck there was . man in the do
hfis ve'y much excited. who would
not leave, but showed fight. He dug
desperately at the broken timber, and
heaps 4 bricks When he was or.
dersd a-ay by n policeman be turned
s.avasely aud said; III you don't
leave mo alone III knock HI cut of |
you. My son 10 there" lie was lel
alone and continued his desperate
Struggle until he h,d uncovered lis
bruised snd batter, 4 form Of bis con.
Some OF the passengers on he
wucks d track returned 10 their W.st.
ORR homes instead Of continuing on
their journey 10 the ElAt.
The fIllowing IL believed 10 n. n
NIL Tie, OF the injured. They Were
.snt 10 the Pioyideoce Hospital, with
VI u epion Of He ley aud Baxter;
Cha'. koo d, Or elnnRti, badly i,Idred
10 ne back. Mu Ohas. Koch, Oia-
elnnsii slightly shocked. Ora. Nor.
neon, o. oiunau, 10 jared Ia the back.
ffnnF ID nanfr, =. Louie, shouldet
oisloca ID ] u. Smith, fitman, Gin.
clnna'i, both lcss broken. Wilhelm
Back, q ncinnau, head cut badly. Ell
Lsclm'te', CiroIn al, slightly 10.
luie1. Jp ph Healoy, wasbi5,,on
eeficudy j ired. WIN. h. xier. tsle.
f'aaph op,rat ?, Warrington, painfully
ioll'ei ah u The heed.
ihs iniie- u Nj. Koch msy provo
lslhl Tho Chicago ard Ci1cinnad
slsepero DID not leave TIE tack.